[C320-list] Boom Vang Fitting

[Larry Frank]

You can order them directly from Charleston Spar.  I have done this twice
on my 1995 vintage 320.  As for Scott's comments, I would like to know why
this has happened too.  I credited an accidental Gybe too.  I would
replace rather than fix because I have to believe the part is weakened and
will be further weakened during the fix.

Larry
WindSwept C320 #246

On 5/14/15, 6:55 PM, "tharrison at innovations-plus.com"
<tharrison at innovations-plus.com> wrote:

>I see the toggle part I need on page 8. Do you know where you can
>purchase this part?
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 14, 2015, at 7:48 PM, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com>
>>wrote:
>> 
>> Kenny, I remembered that there is also some useful reference
>>information in the Charleston Spar manual for our boats. (Charleston
>>Spar made the mast fittings including the pieces you asked about. The
>>vang itself is from Garhauer.)
>> 
>> See page 9 of the pdf at this link...
>> 
>> http://www.catalina320.com/filemgmt/index.php?id=49
>> 
>> Note especially the washer placement!
>> 
>> Scott
>> 
>> 
>>> On 5/14/2015 7:30 PM, Kenny Geist wrote:
>>> Thanks so much Scott.  Excellent commentary.  I have Kevin at Catalina
>>> checking for the part and now I have a thorough undersanding.
>>> 
>>> Best Regards
>>> 
>>> Kenny Geist
>>> Kennyge at Prodigy.net
>>> 
>>> WINDRIFTER 320
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On
>>>Behalf
>>> Of Scott Thompson
>>> Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2015 7:20 PM
>>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Boom Vang Fitting
>>> 
>>> The vang will "spring out" a bit if it is under compression, as it
>>>will be
>>> if it is supporting the weight of the boom. Lift the boom with a
>>>halyard or
>>> topping lift first to avoid that. The vang will not come entirely apart
>>> without some disassembly, so you don't have to worry about it falling
>>>apart
>>> once you disconnect things.
>>> 
>>> I don't know whether it is advisable to straighten the piece out. I'd
>>> consult Garhauer about that. However I would not bother to fix it
>>>without a
>>> better understanding of why it bent in the first place. I would be
>>>surprised
>>> if an accidental jibe was the cause. Regarding the possible cause,
>>>years ago
>>> there was a thread on this forum (but I can't find it in the archives)
>>>about
>>> a problem that Annie Bennett had on Topcat, where that piece had been
>>> carving a little groove into the aluminum casting on the mast that it
>>>is
>>> attached to. There is supposed to be a protective stainless washer
>>> separating the two pieces so that this could not happen, but on some
>>>boats
>>> the vang had not been assembled properly and so the stainless
>>>"triangle" was
>>> allowed to rest directly on the softer casting. Then rocking of the
>>>boat in
>>> the slip had caused enough regular movement of the boom to gradually
>>>cause
>>> the triangle to carve a little groove in the center of the casting.
>>> Eventually the triangle caught in this groove during a jibe,
>>>preventing the
>>> triangle from rotating properly on its pivot. In that case the
>>>resulting
>>> bending moment caused a catastrophic failure of the vang. A picture of
>>>the
>>> resulting damages is on the web site here:
>>> 
>>> http://www.catalina320.com/mediagallery/media.php?s=2008111610222652
>>> 
>>> If you look at the picture you can see the wear in the casting
>>>underneath
>>> the stainless "triangle" piece. That's where the washer needs to be.
>>>And
>>> there should be another one protecting the top part of the casting
>>>also.
>>> That is, a washer should be immediately above and below the "triangle"
>>>so
>>> that it will not wear on either the top or bottom part of the casting.
>>>the
>>> lower piece is most vulnerable when the vang is in compression, while
>>>the
>>> upper piece is most vulnerable when the vang is under tension. Unless
>>>you
>>> 
>>> After I read about Topcat's problem and saw those pictures I checked
>>>out the
>>> situation on my boat and found that indeed my vang was not properly
>>> assembled either, and that the wear in the casting had started. I took
>>>apart
>>> the vang fitting and move the washers to the proper location and all
>>>has
>>> been fine since then.
>>> 
>>> Scott Thompson
>>> Surprise, #653
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On 5/14/2015 6:43 PM, Kenny Geist wrote:
>>>> While putting the main sail back on today, I noticed that the
>>>> triangular fitting at the bottom of the boom vang where it attaches to
>>>> the bottom of the mast has bent about 30 degrees to starboard.  Guess
>>>> there was an accidental jibe somewhere in her past.
>>>> 
>>>> My question is, should I take it off and have it straightened at a
>>>> machine shop or replace it as it might have been weakened.  Also, will
>>>> the solid vang spring out when I loosen it from the fitting?
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> 
>>>> Kenny Geist
>>>> Kennyge at Prodigy.net
>>>> 
>>>> WINDRIFTER # 317
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>>